RV sites near Mercer Island, Washington provide camping options within 35 minutes of Seattle's urban center. The area lies in USDA hardiness zone 8b with mild temperatures averaging 40-75°F year-round. Late summer camping reservations require advance planning as regional sites often reach capacity July through September.
What to do
Walking trails: 2 miles or less: Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell features walking paths surrounding its man-made duck pond. "We did not use the bathrooms, but enjoyed the walking trails, playground for the kids, and watching the resident ducks in the pond," reports one camper about this peaceful setting.
Visit Gig Harbor: 10-minute drive from campground: Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor maintains well-kept grounds with numerous trees throughout the property. "The spaces are very close together, but there are a lot of trees and it's very well kept. The facilities and grounds are clean and well cared for," according to a recent visitor.
Explore hiking options: Multiple trails under 2 miles from campground: Tall Chief Campground offers proximity to nature trails while staying connected. "We love Tall Chief because it is super close to a lot of great spots around the Seattle region. It's super close (like 7 min drive) from one of my favorite coffee shops, Aroma Coffee Co."
What campers like
Level sites with hookups: Lake Pleasant RV Park provides full hookup RV sites with 50-amp service. "Easy reservation process. Reasonable rate for city location. Look at monthly rates if you staying more than two weeks. On site storage if you need to leave your rig for a few days," notes one visitor.
Clean facilities: Tall Chief Campground maintains excellent bathroom facilities. "Bathrooms are usually found to be immaculate. The main bathrooms have a great 'spa' feeling to their design and make you feel like you are glamping."
Affordable laundry services: Multiple parks offer budget-friendly laundry options. "The laundry is the hidden gem. At half the cost of the local laundromats, and with twice the machines I'm used to at a campground this size, I always have clean towels," reports one Eagle Tree RV Park visitor.
What you should know
Cell reception varies by site: Cell service quality differs between sites even within the same campground. "Another thing that can be annoying is trying to find a site with good cell reception due to all the trees. They definitely have a few, but I would say arrive early so you can drive by all the sites while checking to make sure you have good reception if you need it."
Noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some campgrounds. "I'll start with the thing to be aware of: you'll be camping 200' from I-90. But we found our ear plugs did a good job of quieting that noise enough for us to get a good sleep," mentions one visitor to Issaquah Village RV Park.
Limited sewer connections: Not all parks offer full sewer hookups. "I do have to knock a star for the fact no sites have sewer hookups. This is fairly understandable though as it appeared that a service needs to pump the septic tank by the dump station for the entire park. Most people I saw had a honey wagon."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Some parks feature dedicated children's areas. "We had a great time, even stayed an extra night! Our space was nice and gave us some privacy. The pool, miniature golf, playground and basketball were great," notes a camper at Tall Chief.
Pet-friendly spaces: Blue Sky RV Park welcomes pets while maintaining cleanliness. "This is a great RV resort. The picture on the app is not at all what this place looks like. A Quiet oasis tucked into the forest. The new and clean bathrooms and showers were a real treat."
Tent camping options: Limited tent camping exists amid predominantly RV sites. "This is definitely a RV resort, but there are 5 or 6 tent camping sites under some big trees which provide shade almost all day. Nice bathroom and showers. Laundry, dog run, tv room, plus really friendly employees!"
Tips from RVers
Book weekday arrivals: Cove RV Park & Country Store and similar parks fill quickly on weekends. "This is our first trailer camping trip ever so we wanted to start small and close to home. We first arrived with only knowing the basic and Mike the grounds master was more than happy to help us park and hook up."
Consider monthly rates: For extended stays, inquire about discounted monthly rates. "Stayed 3 months for work, perfect beautiful, CHEEP CHEEP, not too good to be true, just right. All Hook ups included. (Bring your dump tote!) easy easy easy dump station."
Pack leveling gear: Some sites require adjustment. "In site 11 you can hear the highway when outside of rv but couldn't inside. Neighbors were very friendly. Pad was paved, level and long enough for Super C and toad."
